though its jubilant tones were hushed, it was still a voice in English Verse-a clear, sweet voice in Sedley, a low, plaintive voice in Rochester, a womanly voice in Aphra Behn. An immortal Voice, for when, slumbering and murmuring in its dreams, it awoke at last in the next century, it was with a start and a cry—a sweet, wild cry, a deep, loud shout-the long triumphant song of the Master Singer-Burns. Such, in brief, is the history of English Verse from its first great story-teller to its first great song-writerfrom Chaucer to Burns. R. H. STODDARD. THE CENTURY, NEW YORK, August 20th, 1883. |